UC-NRLF 


UNIVERSITY   OF  CALIFORNIA 
DAVIS 


UNC'    EDINBURG 


IN    UNIFORM    STYLE 


MARSE  CHAN.     A  Tale  of  Old  Virginia.      Illus 
trated  by  W.  T.  Smedley 

MEH   LADY.     A   Story  of  the  War.      Illustrated 
by  C.  S.  Reinhart. 

POLLY.     A  Christmas  Recollection.      Illustrated 
by  A.  Castaigne. 

UNC'   EDINBURG.      A  Plantation  Echo.      Illus 
trated  by  B.  West  Clinedinst 


Each,  small  quarto,  $1 .50 


"  /  seen  he  eye  light  on  her  as  she  came  down  the  steps  smilin\" 


*    *    UNC'   EDINBURG 

A    PLANTATION    ECHO        *       * 
BY     THOMAS      NELSON      PAGE 

ILLUSTRATED  BY  B.  WEST    CLINEDINST 


CHARLES    SCRIBNER'S   SONS 
NEW  YORK,   1895       f       ,       , 


LIBRARY 

TOHVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
DAVIS 


Copyright,  1889,   1895,  by 
Charles  Scribner's  Sons 


TROW    DIRECTORY 

PRINTING  AND   BOOKBINDING  COMPAH 
NEW   YORK 


LIST   OF   ILLUSTRATIONS 

"  /  seen   he   eye  light   on   her  as   she   came  dozvn 

the    Steps    Smiliri"  Frontispiece. 

"  /  got  de  keridge  heah  for  you"  Page  i. 

"  We  come  'way  next  morniri"  Page  17. 

"Mars  George  lead  her  out  on  de  porch" 

Page  23. 

"  Hit  begin  so  low  evybody  had  to  stop  talkiri" 

Page  43. 

"Miss   Charlotte  she  'mos'  *stracted"         Page  49. 
"An    Marse  George  he  ain    answer"       Page  53. 


W 


ELL,  suh,  dat's  a  fac — dat's  what  Marse 
George  al'ays  said.  Tis  hard  to  spile 
Christmas  anyways." 
The  speaker  was  "  Unc'  Edinburg,"  the  driver  from 
Werrowcoke,  where  I  was  going  to  spend  Christmas ; 
the  time  was  Christmas  Eve,  and  the  place  the  mud 
diest  road  in  eastern  Virginia — a  measure  which,  I  feel 
sure,  will,  to  those  who  have  any  experience,  establish 
its  claim  to  distinction. 

A  half-hour  before  he  had  met  me  at  the  station, 
the  queerest-looking,  raggedest  old  darkey  conceivable, 
brandishing  a  cedar-staffed  whip  of  enormous  propor 
tions  in  one  hand,  and  clutching  in  the  other  a  calico 
letter-bag  with  a  twisted  string ;  and  with  the  excep- 


'  Edmburg" 

tion  of  a  brief  interval  of  temporary  suspicion  on  his 
part,  due  to  the  unfortunate  fact  that  my  luggage 
consisted  of  only  a  hand-satchel  instead  of  a  trunk,  we 
had  been  steadily  progressing  in  mutual  esteem. 

"  Dee's  a  boy  standin'  by  my  mules ;  I  got  de 
ker'idge  heah  for  you,"  had  been  his  first  remark  on 
my  making  myself  known  to  him.  "  Mistis  say  as 
how  you  might  bring  a  trunk." 

I  at  once  saw  my  danger,  and  muttered  something 
about  "  a  short  visit,"  but  this  only  made  matters 
worse. 

44  Dee  don'  nobody  nuver  pay  short  visits  dyah,"  he 
said,  decisively,  and  I  fell  to  other  tactics. 

"  You  couldn'  spile  Christmas  den  noways,"  he 
repeated,  reflectingly,  while  his  little  mules  trudged 
knee-deep  through  the  mud.  "  Twuz  Christmas  den, 
sho'  'nough,"  he  added,  the  fires  of  memory  smoulder 
ing,  and  then,  as  they  blazed  into  sudden  flame,  he 
asserted,  positively :  "  Dese  heah  free-issue  niggers 
don'  know  what  Christmas  is.  Hawg  meat  an'  pop 
crackers  don'  meek  Christmas.  Hit  tecks  ole  times 
to  meek  a  sho'  -  'nough,  tyahin'  -  down  Christmas. 
Gord  !  Fs  seen  'em  !  But  de  wuss  Christmas  I  ever 
seen  tunned  out  de  best  in  de  een,"  he  added,  with 
sudden  warmth,  "  an'  dat  wuz  de  Christmas  me  an' 


"Unc'  Edinburg':  3 

Marse  George  an'  Reveller  all  got  drownded  down  at 
Braxton's  Creek.  You's  hearn  'bout  dat  ?  " 

As  he  was  sitting  beside  me  in  solid  flesh  and  blood, 
and  looked  as  little  ethereal  in  his  old  hat  and  patched 
clothes  as  an  old  oak  stump  would  have  done,  and  as 
Colonel  Staunton  had  made  a  world-wide  reputation 
wrhen  he  led  his  regiment  through  the  Chickahom- 
iny  thickets  against  McClellan's  intrenchments,  I  was 
forced  to  confess  that  I  had  never  been  so  favored, 
but  would  like  to  hear  about  it  now;  and  with  a  hitch 
of  the  lap  blanket  under  his  outside  knee,  and  a  su 
pererogatory  jerk  of  the  reins,  he  began  : 

"  Well,  you  know,  Marse  George  was  jes'  eighteen 
when  he  went  to  college.  I  went  wid  him,  'cause  me 
an'  him  wuz  de  same  age ;  I  was  born  like  on  a 
Sat'day  in  de  Christmas,  an'  he  wuz  born  in  de  new 
year  on  a  Chuesday,  an'  my  mammy  nussed  us  bofe  at 
one  breast.  Dat's  de  reason  maybe  huccome  we  took 
so  to  one  nurr.  He  sutney  set  a  heap  o'  sto'  by  me  ; 
an'  I  ain'  nuver  see  nobody  yit  wuz  good  to  me  as 
Marse  George." 

The  old  fellow,  after  a  short  reverie,  went  on : 

"  Well,  we  growed  up  togerr,  jes  as  to  say  two 
stalks  in  one  hill.  We  cotch  ole  hyahs  togerr,  an'  we 
hunted  'possums  togerr,  an'  'coons.  Lord  !  he  wuz  a 


4  "Unc9  Edinburg3' 

climber !  I  'member  a  fight  he  had  one  night  up  in 
de  ve'y  top  of  a  big  poplar  tree  wid  a  coon,  whar  he 
done  gone  up  after,  an'  he  flung  he  hat  over  he  head  ; 
an'  do'  de  varmint  leetle  mo'  tyah  him  all  to  pieces, 
he  fotch  him  down  dat  tree  'live  ;  an'  me  an'  him  had 
him  at  Christmas.  'Coon  meat  mighty  good  when 
dee  fat,  you  know  ?  " 

As  this  was  a  direct  request  for  my  judgment,  I 
did  not  have  the  moral  courage  to  raise  an  issue,  al 
though  my  views  on  the  subject  of  'coon  meat  are  well 
known  to  my  family ;  so  I  grunted  something  which 
I  doubt  not  he  took  for  assent,  and  he  proceeded  : 

"  Dee  warn'  nuttin  he  didn'  lead  de  row  in ;  he 
wuz  de  bes'  swimmer  I  ever  see,  an'  he  handled  a 
skiff  same  as  a  fish  handle  heself.  An'  I  wuz  wid  him 
constant;  wharever  you  see  Marse  George,  dyah 
Edinburg  sho',  jes'  like  he  shadow.  So  twuz,  when 
he  went  to  de  university ;  'twarn'  nuttin  would  do  but 
I  got  to  go  too.  Marster  he  didn'  teck  much  to  de 
notion,  but  Marse  George  wouldn'  have  it  no  urr  way, 
an'  co'se  mistis  she  teck  he  side.  So  I  went  'long  as 
he  body-servant  to  teck  keer  on  him  an'  help  meek 
him  a  gent'man.  An'  he  wuz,  too.  From  time  he 
got  dyah  tell  he  cum  'way  he  wuz  de  head  man. 

"  Dee  warn'  but  one  man  dyah    didn'  compliment 


"Uncf  Edinburg^  5 

him,  an'  dat  wuz  Mr.  Darker.  But  he  warn'  nuttin  ! 
not  dat  he  didn'  come  o'  right  good  fambly — 'cep'  dee 
politics ;  but  he  wuz  sutney  pitted,  jes'  like  sometimes 
you  see  a  weevly  runty  pig  in  a  right  good  litter. 
Well,  Mr.  Darker  he  al'ays  'ginst  Marse  George  ;  he 
hate  me  and  him  bofe,  an'  he  sutney  act  mischeevous 
todes  us ;  'cause  he  know  he  warn'  as  we  all.  De 
Stauntons  dee  wuz  de  popularitiest  folks  in  Virginia ; 
an'  dee  wuz  high-larnt  besides.  So  when  Marse  George 
run  for  de  medal,  an'  wuz  to  meek  he  gret  speech, 
Mr.  Darker  he  speak  'ginst  him.  Dat's  what  Marse 
George  whip  him  'bout.  'Ain'  nobody  nuver  told  you 
'bout  dat  ?  " 

I  again  avowed  my  misfortune ;  and  although  it 
manifestly  aroused  new  doubts,  he  worked  it  off  on 
the  mules,  and  once  more  took  up  his  story: 

"  Well,  you  know,  dee  had  been  speakin'  'ginst  one 
nurr  ev'y  Sat'dy  night ;  and  ev'ybody  knowed  Marse 
George  wuz  de  bes'  speaker,  but  dee  give  him  one 
mo'  sho',  an'  dee  was  bofe  gwine  spread  deeselves,  an' 
dee  wuz  two  urr  gent'mens  also  gwine  speak.  An' 
dat  night  when  Mr.  Darker  got  up  he  meek  sich  a 
fine  speech  ev'ybody  wuz  s'prised  ;  an'  some  on  'em 
say  Mr.  Darker  done  beat  Marse  George.  But,  shuh  ! 
I  know  better'n  dat ;  an'  Marse  George  face  look  so 


6  "  Unc    Edinburg" 

curious ;  but,  suh,  when  he  riz  I  knowed  der  wuz 
somen  gwine  happen — I  wuz  leanin'  in  de  winder. 
He  jes  step  out  in  front  an'  throwed  up  he  head  like 
a  horse  wid  a  rank  kyurb  on  him,  and  den  he  begin ; 
an'  twuz  jes  like  de  river  when  hit  gits  out  he  bank. 
He  swep'  ev'ything.  When  he  fust  open  he  mouf  I 
knowed  twuz  comin' ;  he  face  wuz  pale,  an'  he  wuds 
tremble  like  a  fiddle-string,  but  he  eyes  wuz  blazin', 
an'  in  a  minute  he  wuz  jes  reshin'.  He  voice  soun' 
like  a  bell ;  an'  he  jes  wallered  dat  turr  man,  an' 
wared  him  out;  an'  when  he  set  down  dee  all  yelled 
an'  hollered  so  you  couldn'  heah  you'  ears.  Gent'- 
mans,  twuz  royal ! 

"  Den  dee  tuck  de  vote,  an'  Marse  George  got  it 
munanimous,  an'  dee  all  hollered  agin,  all  'cep'  a  few  o' 
Mr.  Darker's  friends.  An'  Mr.  Darker  he  wuz  de 
second.  An'  den  dee  broke  up.  An'  jes  den  Marse 
George  walked  thoo  de  crowd  straight  up  to  him, 
an'  lookin'  him  right  in  de  eyes,  says  to  him,  4  You 
stole  dat  speech  you  made  to-night.'  Well,  suh, 
you  ought  to  'a  hearn  'em ;  hit  soun'  like  a  mill- 
dam.  You  couldn'  heah  nuttin  'cep'  roarin',  an'  you 
couldn'  see  nuttin  'cep'  shovin'.  But,  big  as  he  wuz, 
Marse  George  beat  him  ;  an'  when  dee  pull  him  off, 
do'  he  face  wuz  mighty  pale,  he  stan'  out  befo'  'em  all, 


"Unc'  Edinburg"  7 

dem  whar  wuz  'ginst  him,  an'  all,  jes  as  straight  as  an 
arrow,  an'  say  :  '  Dat  speech  wuz  written  an'  printed 
years  ago  by  somebody  or  nurr  in  Congress,  an'  this 
man  stole  it ;  had  he  beat  me  only,  I  should  not  have 
said  one  word  ;  but  as  he  has  beaten  others,  I  shall 
show  him  up ! '  Gord,  suh,  he  voice  wuz  clear  as  a 
game  rooster.  I  sutney  wuz  proud  on  him. 

"  He  did  show  him  up,  too,  but  Mr.  Darker  ain' 
wait  to  see  it ;  he  lef '  dat  night.  An'  Marse  George 
he  wuz  de  popularitiest  gent'man  at  dat  university. 
He  could  handle  dem  students  dyah  same  as  a  man 
handle  a  hoe. 

"  Well,  twuz  de  next  Christmas  we  meet  Miss 
Charlotte  an'  Nancy.  Mr.  Braxton  invite  we  all  to 
go  down  to  spen'  Christmas  wid  him  at  he  home. 
An'  sich  a  time  as  we  had  ! 

"We  got  dyah  Christmas  Eve  night  —  dis  very 
night — jes  befo'  supper,  an'  jes  natchelly  froze  to 
death,"  he  pursued,  dealing  in  his  wonted  hyperbole, 
"  an'  we  jes  had  time  to  git  a  apple  toddy  or  two 
when  supper  was  ready,  an'  wud  come  dat  dee  wuz 
waitin'  in  de  hall.  I  had  done  fix  Marse  George  up 
gorgeousome,  I  tell  you ;  an  when  he  walk  down 
dem  stairs  in  dat  swaller-tail  coat,  an'  dem  paten'- 
leather  pumps  on,  dee  warn  nay  one  dyah  could  tetch 


8  "Unc   Edinburg" 

him ;  he  looked  like  he  own  'em  all.  I  jes  rest  my 
mind.  I  seen  him  when  he  shake  hands  wid  'em  all 
roun',  an'  I  say,  '  Um-m-m !  he  got  'em.' 

"  But  he  ain'  teck  noticement  o'  none  much  tell 
Miss  Charlotte  come.  She  didn'  live  dyah,  had  jes 
come  over  de  river  dat  evenin'  from  her  home,  'bout 
ten  miles  off,  to  spen'  Christmas  like  we  all,  an'  she 
come  down  de  stairs  jes  as  Marse  George  finish  shakin' 
hands.  I  seen  he  eye  light  on  her  as  she  come  down 
de  steps  smilin',  wid  her  dim  blue  dress  trainin'  be 
hind  her,  an'  her  little  blue  foots  peepin'  out  so  pretty, 
an'  holdin'  a  little  hankcher,  lookin'  like  a  spider- 
web,  in  one  hand,  an'  a  gret  blue  fan  in  turr,  spread 
out  like  a  peacock  tail,  an'  jes  her  roun'  arms  an' 
th'oat  white,  an'  her  gret  dark  eyes  lightin'  up  her 
face.  I  say,  '  Dyah  'tis  ! '  and  when  de  ole  Cun'l  stan' 
aside  an'  interduce  'em,  and  Marse  George  step  for'ard 
an'  meek  he  grand  bow,  an'  she  sort  o'  swing  back  an' 
gin  her  curtchy,  wid  her  dress  sort  o'  dammed  up 
'ginst  her,  an'  her  arms  so  white,  an'  her  face  sort  o' 
sunsetty,  I  say,  '  Yes,  Lord !  Edinburg,  dyah  you 
mistis.'  Marse  George  look  like  he  think  she  done 
come  down  right  from  de  top  o'  de  blue  sky  an'  bring 
piece  on  it  wid  her.  He  ain'  nuver  took  he  eyes 
from  her  dat  night.  Dee  glued  to  her,  mun !  an'  she 


«Unc'  Edinburgf'  9 

— well,  do'  she  mighty  rosy,  an'  look  mighty  uncon- 
sarned,  she  sutney  ain'  hender  him.  Hit  look  like 
kyarn  nobody  else  tote  dat  fan  an'  pick  up  dat  hank- 
cher  skusin  o'  him;  an'  after  supper,  when  dee  all 
playin'  blind-man's-buff  in  de  hall  —  I  don'  know 
how  twuz — but  do'  she  jes  as  nimble  as  a  filly,  an' 
her  ankle  jes  as  clean,  an'  she  kin  git  up  her  dress  an' 
dodge  out  o'  de  way  o'  ev'ybody  else,  somehow  or 
nurr  she  kyarn  help  him  ketchin'  her  to  save  her  life ; 
he  al'ays  got  her  corndered ;  an'  when  dee'd  git  fur 
apart,  dat  ain'  nuttin,  dee  jes  as  sure  to  come  togerr 
agin  as  water  is  whar  you  done  run  you  hand  thoo. 
An'  do'  he  kiss  ev'ybody  else  under  de  mistletow, 
'cause  dee  be  sort  o'  cousins,  he  ain'  nuver  kiss  her, 
nor  nobody  else  ain't  nurr,  'cep'  de  ole  Cun'l.  I  wuz 
standin'  down  at  de  een  de  hall  wid  de  black  folks, 
an'  I  notice  it  'tic'lar,  'cause  I  done  meek  de  'quaint- 
ance  o'  Nancy;  she  wuz  Miss  Charlotte's  maid;  a 
mighty  likely  young  gal  she  wuz  den,  an'  jes  as  impi- 
dent  as  a  fly.  She  see  it  too,  do'  she  ain'  'low  it. 

"  Fust  thing  I  know  I  seen  a  mighty  likely  light- 
skinned  gal  standin'  dyah  by  me,  wid  her  hyah  mos' 
straight  as  white  folks,  an'  a  mighty  good  frock  on, 
an'  a  clean  apron,  an'  her  hand  mos'  like  a  lady,  only 
it  brown,  an'  she  keep  on  'vidin'  her  eyes  twix  me  an' 


io  "Unc    Edinburg^ 

Miss  Charlotte ;  when  I  watchin'  Miss  Charlotte  she 
watchin'  me,  an'  when  I  steal  my  eye  'roun'  on  her 
she  noticin'  Miss  Charlotte ;  an'  presney  I  sort  o'  sidle 
'longside  her,  an'  I  say,  'Lady,  you  mighty  sprightly 
to-night.'  An'  she  say  she  'bleeged  to  be  sprightly, 
her  mistis  look  so  good;  an'  I  ax  her  which  one 
twuz,  an'  she  tell  me,  4  Dat  queen  one  over  dyah,'  an' 
I  tell  her  dee's  a  king  dyah  too,  she  got  her  eye  set 
for ;  an'  when  I  say  her  mistis  tryin'  to  set  her  cap  for 
Marse  George,  she  fly  up,  an'  say  she  an'  her  mistis 
don'  have  to  set  dee  cap  for  nobody ;  dee  got  to  set 
dee  cap  an'  all  dee  clo'es  for  dem,  an*  den  dee  ain' 
gwine  cotch  'em  cause  dee  ain'  studyin'  'bout  no 
up-country  folks  whar  dee  ain'  nobody  know  nuttin 
'bout. 

"  Well,  dat  oudaciousness  so  aggrivate  me,  I  lite 
into  dat  nigger  right  dyah.  I  tell  her  she  ain'  been 
nowhar  'tall  ef  she  don'  know  we  all ;  dat  we  wuz  de 
bes'  of  quality,  de  ve'y  top  de  pot ;  an'  den  I  tell  her 
'bout  how  gret  we  wuz ;  how  de  ker'idges  wuz  al'ays 
hitched  up  night  an'  day,  an'  niggers  jes  thick  as 
weeds;  an'  how  Unc'  Torm  he  wared  he  swaller-tail 
ev'y  day  when  he  wait  on  de  table ;  and  Marse 
George  he  won'  wyah  a  coat  mo'n  once  or  twice  any 
ways,  to  save  you  life.  Oh  !  I  sutney  'stonish  dat 


"Unc9  Edinburg"  n 

nigger,  'cause  I  wuz  teckin  up  for  de  fambly,  an'  I 
meek  out  like  dee  use  gold  up  home  like  urr  folks 
use  wood,  an'  sow  silver  like  urr  folks  sow  wheat ;  an' 
when  I  got  thoo  dee  wuz  all  on  'em  listening  an'  she 
'lowed  dat  Marse  George  he  were  ve'y  good,  sho 
'nough,  'ef  twarn  for  he  nigger;  but  I  ain'  tarrifyin' 
myself  none  'bout  dat,  'cause  I  know  she  jes  projickin, 
an'  she  couldn'  help  bein'  impident  ef  you  wuz  to 
whup  de  frock  off  her  back. 

"  Jes  den  dee  struck  up  de  dance.  Dee  had  wheel 
de  pianer  out  in  de  hall,  an'  somebody  say  Jack  For 
ester  had  come  cross  de  river,  an'  all  on  'em  say  dee 
mus'  git  Jack ;  an'  presney  he  come  in  wid  he  fiddle, 
grinnin'  and  scrapin',  'cause  he  wuz  a  notable  fiddler, 
do'  I  don'  think  he  wuz  equal  to  we  all's  Tubal,  an' 
I  know  he  couldn'  tech  Marse  George,  'cause  Marse 
George  wuz  a  natchel  fiddler,  jes  like  'coons  is  natchel 
pacers,  an'  mules  an'  womens  is  natchel  kickers.  How- 
somever,  he  sutney  jucked  a  jig  sweet,  an'  when  he 
shake  dat  bow  you  couldn'  help  you  foot  switchin' 
a  leetle — not  ef  you  wuz  a  member  of  de  chutch.  He 
wuz  a  mighty  sinful  man,  Jack  wuz,  an'  dat  fiddle 
had  done  drawed  many  souls  to  torment. 

"  Well,  in  a  minute  dee  wuz  all  flyin',  an'  Jack  he 
wuz  rockin'  like  boat  rockin'  on  de  water,  an'  he  face 


12  " '  Unc9  Edinburg" 

right  shiny,  an'  he  teef  look  like  ear  o'  corn  he  got  in 
he  mout,  an'  he  big  foot  set  way  out  keepin'  time,  an' 
Marse  George  he  was  in  de  lead  row  dyah  too  ;  ev'y 
chance  he  git  he  tunned  Miss  Charlotte — 'petchel  mo 
tion,  right  hand  across,  an'  cauliflower,  an'  croquette- 
dee  croquette  plenty  o'  urrs,  but  I  notice  dee  ain'  nuver 
fail  to  tun  one  nurr,  an'  ev'y  tun  he  gin  she  wrappin' 
de  chain  roun'  him.  Once  when  dee  wuz  4  prominadin- 
all '  down  we  all's  een  o'  de  hall,  as  he  tunned  her  some 
body  step  on  her  dress  an'  to'  it.  I  heah  de  screech  o' 
de  silk,  an'  Nancy  say,  '  O  Lord  ! '  den  she  say,  '  Nem 
mine  !  now  I'll  git  it ! '  an'  dee  stop  for  a  minute  for 
Marse  George  to  pin  't  up,  while  turrers  went  on,  an' 
Marse  George  wuz  down  on  he  knee,  an'  she  look 
down  on  him  mighty  sweet  out  her  eyes,  an'  say, 
'  Hit  don'  meek  no  difference,'  an'  he  glance  up  an' 
cotch  her  eye,  an',  jes  'dout  a  wud,  he  tyah  a  gret 
piece  right  out  de  silk  an'  slipt  it  in  he  bosom,  an' 
when  he  got  up,  he  say,  right  low,  lookin'  in  her  eyes 
real  deep,  '  I  gwine  wyah  dis  at  my  weddin','  an'  she 
jes  look  sweet  as  candy ;  an'  ef  Nancy  ever  wyah  dat 
frock  I  ain'  see  it. 

"  Den  presney  dee  wuz  talkin'  'bout  stoppin'.  De 
ole  Cun'l  say  hit  time  to  have  prars,  an'  dee  wuz  beg- 
gin'  him  to  wait  a  leetle  while  ;  an'  Jack  Forester  lay 


"Unc?  Edinburgf>  13 

he  fiddle  down  nigh  Marse  George,  an'  he  picked  't 
up  an'  drawed  de  bow  'cross  it  jes  to  try  it,  an'  den 
jes  projickin'  he  struck  dat  chune  'bout  6  You'll  er- 
member  me.'  He  hadn'  mo'n  tech  de  string  when 
you  couldn'  heah  a  pin  drap.  Marse  George  he  warn 
noticin',  an'  he  jes  lay  he  face  on  de  fiddle,  wid  he 
eyes  sort  o'  half  shet,  an'  drawed  her  out  like  he'd  do 
some  nights  at  home  in  dee  moonlight  on  de  gret 
porch,  tell  on  a  sudden  he  looked  up  an'  cotch  Miss 
Charlotte  eye  leanin'  for'ards  so  earnest,  an'  all  on  'em 
list'nin',  an'  he  stopt,  an'  dee  all  clapt  dee  hands,  an' 
he  sudney  drapt  into  a  jig.  Jack  Forester  ain'  had  to 
play  no  mo'  dat  night.  Even  de  ole  Cun'l  ketched 
de  fever,  an'  he  stept  out  in  de  flo'  in  he  long-tail 
coat  an'  high  collar,  an'  knocked  'em  off  de  '  Snow- 
bud  on  de  Ash-bank,'  an'  4  Chicken  in  de  Bread-tray,' 
right  natchel. 

"  Oh,  he  could  jes  plank  'em  down ! 

"  Oh,  dat  wuz  a  Christmas  like  you  been  read 
'bout !  An'  twuz  hard  to  tell  which  gittin  cotch  most, 
Marse  George  or  me ;  'cause  dat  nigger  she  jes  as  con- 
fusin'  as  Miss  Charlotte.  An'  she  sutney  wuz  sp'ilt 
dem  days;  ev'y  nigger  on  dat  place  got  he  eye  on 
her,  an'  she  jes  az  oudacious  an'  aggravatin  as  jes 
womens  kin  be. 


14  "  Unc    Edinburgyi 

"  Dees  monsus  'ceivin  critters,  womens  is,  jes  as  on- 
reliable  as  de  hind-leg  of  a  mule ;  a  man  got  to  watch 
'em  all  de  time ;  you  kyarn  break  'em  like  you  kin 
horses. 

"  Now  dat  off  mule  dyah  "  (indicating,  by  a  lazy  but 
not  light  lash  of  his  whip  the  one  selected  for  his  il 
lustration),  "  dee  ain'  no  countin'  on  her  at  all ;  she  go 
'long  all  day,  or  maybe  a  week,  jes  dat  easy  an'  soci 
able,  an'  fust  thing  you  know  you  ain'  know  nuttin  she 
done  knock  you  brains  out;  dee  ain'  no  'pendence  to 
be  placed  in  'em  'tall,  suh ;  she  jes  as  sweet  as  a  kiss 
one  minute,  an'  next  time  she  come  out  de  house  she 
got  her  head  up  in  de  air,  an'  her  ears  backed,  an' 
goin'  long  switchin'  herself  like  I  ain'  good  'nough  for 
her  to  walk  on. 

"  '  Fox-huntin's  *?  '  oh,  yes,  suh,  ev'y  day  mos' ;  an' 
when  Marse   George   didn't  git    de  tail,  twuz  'cause 
twuz  a  bob-tail  fox — you  heah  me  !     He  play  de  fid 
dle  for  he  pastime,  but  he  fotched  up  in  de  saddle— 
dat  he  cradle  ! 

"  De  fust  day  dee  went  out  I  heah  Nancy  quoilin 
'bout  de  tail  layin'  on  Miss  Charlotte  dressin'-table 
gittin'  hyahs  over  ev'ything. 

"  One  day  de  ladies  went  out  too,  Miss  Charlotte 
'mongst  'em,  on  Miss  Lucy'  gray  myah  Switchity, 


"Unc?  Edinhirg"  15 

an'  Marse  George  he  rid  Mr.  Braxton's  chestnut 
Willful. 

"  Well,  suh,  he  stick  so  close  to  dat  gray  myah,  he 
leetle  mo'  los'  dat  fox  ;  but,  Lord  !  he  know  what  he 
'bout — he  monsus  'ceivin'  'bout  dat — he  know  de  way 
de  fox  gwine  jes  as  well  as  he  know  heself ;  an'  all 
de  time  he  leadin'  Miss  Charlotte  whar  she  kin  heah 
de  music,  but  he  watchin'  him  too,  jes  as  narrow  as  a 
ole  hound.  So,  when  de  fox  tun  de  head  o'  de  creek, 
Marse  George  had  Miss  Charlotte  on  de  aidge  o'  de 
flat,  an'  he  de  fust  man  see  de  fox  tun  down  on  turr 
side  wid  de  hounds  right  rank  after  him.  Dat  sort  o' 
set  him  back,  'cause  by  rights  de  fox  ought  to  a*  double 
an'  come  back  dis  side :  he  kyarn  git  out  dat  way ; 
an'  two  or  three  gent'mens  dee  had  see  it  too,  an'  wuz 
jes  layin  de  horses  to  de  groun'  to  git  roun'  fust,  'cause 
de  creek  wuz  heap  too  wide  to  jump,  an'  wuz  'way  over 
you  head,  an  hit  cold  as  Christmas,  sho  'nough ;  well, 
suh,  when  dee  tunned,  Mr.  Clarke  he  wuz  in  de  lead 
(he  wuz  ridin'  for  Miss  Charlotte  too),  an'  hit  fyah  set 
Marse  George  on  fire ;  he  ain'  said  but  one  wud, 
'Wait,'  an' jes  set  de  chestnut's  head  straight  for  de 
creek,  whar  de  fox  comin'  wid  he  hyah  up  on  he  back, 
an'  de  dogs  ravlin  mos'  on  him. 

"  De  ladies  screamed,  an'  some   de  gent'mens  hoi- 


1 6  "Unc   Edinburg^ 

lered  for  him  to  come  back,  but  he  ain'  mind ;  he 
went  'cross  dat  flat  like  a  wild-duck ;  an'  when  he 
retch  de  water  he  horse  tried  to  flinch,  but  dat  hand 
on  de  bridle,  an'  dem  rowels  in  he  side,  an'  he  'bleeged 
to  teck  it. 

"  Lord  !  suh,  sich  a  screech  as  dee  set  up  !  But  he 
wuz  swimmin'  for  life,  an'  he  wuz  up  de  bank  an'  in 
de  middle  o'  de  dogs  time  dee  tetched  ole  Gray  Jack 
et  ;  an'  when  Mr.  Clarke  got  dyah  Marse  George  wuz 
stan'in'  wid  ice  on  him,  holdin'  up  de  tail  for  Miss 
Charlotte  to  see,  turr  side  de  creek,  an'  de  hounds  wuz 
wallerin'  all  over  de  body,  an'  I  don'  think  Mr.  Clarke 
done  got  up  wid  'em  yit. 

"  He  cotch  de  fox,  an'  he  cotch  some'n  else  besides, 
is  my  'pinion,  'cause  when  de  ladies  went  upstairs  dat 
night  Miss  Charlotte  had  to  wait  on  de  steps  for  a 
glass  o'  water,  an'  couldn'  nobody  git  it  but  Marse 
George  ;  an'  den  when  she  tell  him  good-night  over 
de  banisters,  he  couldn'  say  it  good  enough  ;  he  got 
to  kiss  her  hand  ;  an'  she  ain'  do  nuttin  but  jes  peep 
upstairs  ef  anybody  dyah  lookin';  an'  when  I  come 
thoo  de  do'  she  juck  her  hand  'way  an'  run  upstairs 
jes  as  farst  as  she  could.  Marse  George  look  at  me 
sort  o'  laughin',  an'  say :  '  Confound  you !  Nancy 
couldn'  been  very  good  to  you.'  An'  I  say,  fc  She  le* 


"  We  come  'way  next  mornin." 


"  Unc'  Edinburg"  19 

me  squench  my  thirst  a  leetle  kissin'  her  hand  ; '  an' 
he  sort  o'  laugh  an'  tell  me  to  keep  my  mouf  shet. 

"  But  dat  ain'  de  on'y  time  I  come  on  'em.  Dee 
al'ays  gittin'  corndered  ;  an'  de  evenin'  befo'  we  come 
'way  I  wuz  gwine  in  thoo  de  conservity,  an'  dyah  dee 
wuz  sort  o'  hide  'way.  Miss  Charlotte  she  wuz  settin' 
down,  an'  Marse  George  he  wuz  leanin'  over  her,  got 
her  hand  to  he  face,  talkin'  right  low  an'  lookin'  right 
sweet,  an'  she  ain'  say  nuttin  ;  an'  presney  he  drapt  on 
one  knee  by  her,  an'  slip  he  arm  roun'  her,  an'  try  to 
look  in  her  eyes,  an'  she  so  'shamed  to  look  at  him 
she  got  to  hide  her  face  on  he  shoulder,  an'  I  slipt  out. 

44  We  come  'way  next  mornin'.  When  marster 
heah  'bout  it  he  didn'  teck  to  de  notion  at  all,  'cause 
her  pa — dat  is,  he  warn'  her  own  pa,  'cause  he  had 
married  her  ma  when  she  wuz  a  widder  after  Miss 
Charlotte  pa  died — an'  he  politics  warn'  same  as  ourn. 
4  Why,  you  kin  never  stand  him,  suh,'  he  said  to 
Marse  George.  4  We  won't  mix  any  mo'n  fire  and 
water ;  you  ought  to  have  found  that  out  at  college ; 
dat  fellow  Darker  is  his  son.' 

44  Marse  George  he  say  he  know  dat ;  but  he  on'y 
de  step-brurr  of  de  young  lady,  an'  ain'  got  a  drap  o' 
her  blood  in  he  veins,  an'  he  didn'  know  it  when  he 
meet  her,  an'  anyhow  hit  wouldn'  meek  any  difFence ; 


20  "  Unc   Edinburg" 

an,  when  de  mistis  see  how  sot  Marse  George  is  on  it 
she  teck  he  side,  an'  dat  fix  it ;  'cause  when  ole  mis 
tis  warn  marster  to  do  a  thing,  hit  jes  good  as  done. 
I  don'  keer  how  much  he  rar  roun'  an'  say  he  ain' 
gwine  do  it,  you  jes  well  go  'long  an1  put  on  you  hat ; 
you  gwine  see  him  presney  doin'  it  jes  peaceable  as  a 
lamb.  She  tun  him  jes  like  she  got  bline-bridle  on 
him,  an'  he  ain'  nuver  know  it. 

"  So  she  got  him  jes  straight  as  a  string.  An'  when 
de  time  come  for  Marse  George  to  go,  marster  he  mo' 
consarned  'bout  it  'n  Marse  George ;  he  ain'  say  nut- 
tin  'bout  it  befo' ;  but  now  he  walkin'  roun'  an'  roun' 
axin  mistis  mo'  questions  'bout  he  does  an'  he  horse 
an'  all ;  an'  dat  mornin'  he  gi'  him  he  two  Sunday 
razors,  an'  gi'  me  a  pyah  o'  boots  an'  a  beaver  hat, 
'cause  I  wuz  gwine  wid  him  to  kyar  he  portmanteau, 
an'  git  he  shavin'  water,  sence  marster  say  ef  he  wuz 
gwine  marry  a  Locofoco,  he  at  least  must  go  like  a 
gent'man  ;  an*  me  an1  Marse  George  had  done  settle 
it  'twixt  us,  cause  we  al'ays  set  bofe  we  traps  on  de 
same  hyah  parf. 

"  Well,  we  got  'em.  When  I  ax  dat  gal  out  on 
de  wood-pile  dat  night,  she  say  bein'  as  her  mistis 
gwine  own  me,  an'  we  bofe  got  to  be  in  de  same  es 
tate,  she  reckon  she  ain'  nuver  gwine  to  be  able  to  git 


"  Unc   Edinburg^  21 

shet  o'  me ;  an'  den  I  clamp  her.  Oh,  she  wuz  a 
beauty !  " 

A  gesture  and  guffaw  completed  the  recital  of  his 
conquest. 

44  Yes,  suh,  we  got  'em  sho !  "  he  said,  presently. 
"  Dee  couldn*  persist  us  ;  we  crowd  'em  into  de  fence 
an'  run  'em  off  dee  foots. 

"  Den  come  de  'gagement;  an'  ev'ything  wuz  smooth 
as  silk.  Marse  George  an'  me  wuz  ridin'  over  dyah 
constant,  on'y  we  nuver  did  git  over  bein'  skeered 
when  we  wuz  ridin'  up  dat  turpentine  road  facin'  all 
dem  winders.  Hit  'pears  like  ev'ybody  in  de  wull 
'mos'  wuz  lookin'  at  us. 

"  One  evenin'  Marse  George  say,  4  Edinburg,  d'you 
ever  see  as  many  winders  p'intin' one  way  in  you'  life4? 
When  I  git  a  house,'  he  say,  4 1  gwine  have  all  de 
winders  lookin'  turr  way.' 

44  But  dat  evenin'  when  I  see  Miss  Charlotte  come 
walkin'  out  de  gret  parlor  wid  her  hyah  sort  o'  rum 
pled  over  her  face,  an'  some  yaller  roses  on  her  bres,  an' 
her  gret  eyes  so  soft  an'  sweet,  an'  Marse  George  walk- 
in'  'long  hinst  her,  so  peaceable,  like  she  got  chain 
'roun'  him,  I  say,  4  Or — or,  winders  ain'  nuttin.' 

44  Oh,  twuz  jes  like  holiday  all  de  time  !  An'  den 
Miss  Charlotte  come  over  to  see  mistis,  an'  of  co'se 


22  "  Unc   Ediriburg  " 

she   bring   her   maid  wid  her,  'cause  she  'bleeged   to 
have  her  maid,  you  know,  an'  dat  wuz  de  bes'  of  all. 

"  Dat  evenin',  bout  sunset,  dee  come  drivin'  up  in 
de  big  ker'idge,  wid  de  gret  hyah  trunk  stropped  on 
de  seat  behind,  an'  Nancy  she  settin'  by  Billy,  an' 
Marse  George  settin'  inside  by  he  rose-bud,  'cause  he 
had  done  gone  down  to  bring  her  up  ;  an'  marster  he 
done  been  drest  in  he  blue  coat  an'  yallow  westket 
ever  sence  dinner,  an'  walkin'  roun',  watchin'  up  de 
road  all  de  time,  an'  tellin'  de  mistis  he  reckon  dee 
ain'  comm',  an  ole  mistis  she  try  to  pacify  him,  an' 
she  come  out  presney  drest,  an'  rustlin'  in  her  stiff 
black  silk  an'  all ;  an'  when  de  ker'idge  come  in  sight, 
ev'ybody  wuz  runnin' ;  an'  when  dee  draw  up  to  de 
do',  Marse  George  he  help  her  out  an'  in'duce  her  to 
marster  an'  ole  mistis;  an'  marster  he  start  to  meek 
her  a  gret  bow,  an'  she  jes  put  up  her  mouf  like  a 
little  gal  to  be  kissed,  an'  dat  got  him.  An'  mistis 
teck  her  right  in  her  arms  an'  kiss  her  twice,  an'  de 
servants  dee  wuz  all  peepin'  an'  grinnin'. 

"Ev'ywhar  you  tun  you  see  a  nigger  teef,  'cause 
dee  all  warn  see  de  young  mistis  whar  good  'nough 
for  Marse  George. 

"Dee  ain'  gwine  be  married  tell  de  next  fall, 
'count  o'  Miss  Charlotte  bein'  so  young ;  but  she  jes 


"  Marse  George  lead  her  out  on  de  porch." 


"  Unc'  Edinburg"  25 

good  as  b'longst  to  we  all  now ;  an'  ole  marster  an' 
mistis  dee  jes  as  much  in  love  wid  her  as  Marse 
George.  Hi !  dee  warn  pull  de  house  down  an'  buil' 
it  over  for  her !  An'  ev'y  han'  on  de  place  he  peepin' 
to  try  to  git  a  look  at  he  young  mistis  whar  he  gwine 
b'longst  to.  One  evenin'  dee  all  on  'em  come  roun' 
de  porch  an'  send  for  Marse  George,  an'  when  he 
come  out,  Charley  Brown  (he  al'ays  de  speaker,  'cause 
he  got  so  much  mouf,  kin'  talk  pretty  as  white  folks), 
he  say  dee  warn  interduce  to  de  young  mistis,  an'  pay 
dee  bespects  to  her;  an'  presney  Marse  George  lead 
her  out  on  de  porch  laughin'  at  her,  wid  her  face  jes 
rosy  as  a  wine-sop  apple,  an'  she  meek  'em  a  beauti 
ful  bow'  an'  speak  to  'em  ev'y  one,  Marse  George 
namin'  de  names ;  an'  Charley  Brown  he  meek  her  a 
pretty  speech,  an'  tell  her  we  mighty  proud  to  own 
her ;  an'  one  o'  dem  impident  gals  ax  her  to  gin  her 
dat  white  frock  when  she  git  married  ;  an'  when  she 
say,  '  Well,  what  am  I  goin'  wear  ? '  Sally  say,  '  Lord, 
honey,  Marse  George  gwine  dress  you  in  pure  gol' ! ' 
an'  she  look  up  at  him  wid  sparks  flashin'  out  her 
eyes,  while  he  look  like  dat  ain'  good  'nough  for  her. 
An'  so  twuz,  when  she  went  'way,  Sally  Marshall  got 
dat  frock,  an'  proud  on  it  I  tell  you. 

"  Oh,    yes ;    he    sutney    mindin'    her    tender.     Hi ! 


26  "Unc*  Edinburg" 

when  she  go  to  ride  in  evenin'  wid  him,  de  ain'  no 
horse-block  good  'nough  for  her  !  Marse  George  got 
to  have  her  step  in  he  hand ;  an'  when  dee  out  walkin' 
he  got  de  umbrellar  holdin'  't  over  her  all  de  time,  he 
so  feared  de  sun'll  kiss  her;  an'  dee  walk  so  slow 
down  dem  walks  in  de  shade  you  got  to  sight  'em  by 
a  tree  to  tell  ef  dee  movin'  'tall.  She  use'  to  look  like 
she  used  to  it  too,  I  tell  you,  'cause  she  wuz  quality, 
one  de  white-skinned  ones;  an'  she'd  set  in  dem  big 
cheers,  wid  her  little  foots  on  de  cricket  whar  Marse 
George  al'ays  set  for  her,  he  so  feared  dee'd  tech  de 
groun',  jes  like  she  on  her  throne  ;  an'  ole  marster  he'd 
watch  her  'mos'  edmirin  as  Marse  George  ;  an'  when 
she  went  'way  hit  sutney  wuz  lonesome.  Hit  look 
like  daylight  gone  wid  her.  I  don'  know  which  I 
miss  mos',  Miss  Charlotte  or  Nancy. 

"  Den  Marse  George  wuz  'lected  to  de  Legislature, 
an'  ole  Jedge  Darker  run  for  de  Senator,  an'  Marse 
George  vote  gin  him  and  beat  him.  An'  dat  com 
mence  de  fuss ;  an'  den  dat  man  gi'  me  de  whuppin, 
an'  dat  breck  'tup  and  breck  he  heart. 

"  You  see,  after  Marse  George  wuz  'lected  ('Lec 
tions  wuz  'lections  dem  days ;  dee  warn'  no  baitgode 
'lections,  wid  e'vy  sort  o'  wurrms  squirmin'  up  'ginst 
one  nurr,  wid  piece  o'  paper  d'  ain'  know  what  on, 


"  Unc'  Edinburg'9  27 

drappin'  in  a  chink ;  didn'  nuttin  but  gent?mens  vote 
den,  an'  dee  took  dee  dram,  an'  vote  out  loud,  like 
gent'mens) — well,  arter  Marse  George  was  'lected,  de 
parties  wuz  jes  as  even  balanced  as  stilyuds,  an*  wen 
dee  ax  Marse  George  who  wuz  to  be  de  Senator,  he 
vote  for  de  Whig,  'ginst  de  old  jedge,  an'  dat  beat 
him,  of  co'se.  An'  dee  ain'  got  sense  to  know  he 
'bleeged  to  vote  wid  he  politics.  Dat  he  sprinciple ; 
he  kyarn  vote  for  Locofoco,  I  don'  keer  ef  he  is  Miss 
Charlotte  pa,  much  less  her  step-pa.  Of  co'se  de  ole 
jedge  ain'  speak  to  him  arter  dat,  nur  is  Marse  George 
ax  him  to.  But  who  dat  g'wine  s'pose  women-folks 
got  to  put  dee  mouf  in  too?  Miss  Charlotte  she  write 
Marse  George  a  letter  dat  pester  him  mightily ;  he 
set  up  all  night  answerin'  dat  letter,  an'  he  mighty 
solemn,  I  tell  you.  An'  I  wuz  gettin'  right  grewjou- 
some  myself,  'cause  I  studyin'  'bout  dat  gal  down 
dyah  whar  I  done  gi'  my  wud  to,  an'  when  dee  ain' 
no  letters  come  torectly  hit  hard  to  tell  which  one  de 
anxiouser,  me  or  Marse  George.  Den  presney  I  so 
'straughted  'long  o'  it  I  ax  Aunt  Haly  'bouten  it : 
(She  know  all  sich  things,  'cause  she  'mos'  a  hunderd 
years  ole,  an'  seed  evil  speerits,  an'  got  skoripins  up 
her  chimley,  an'  knowed  conjure)  ;  an'  she  ax  me  what 
wuz  de  signication,  an'  I  tell  her  I  ain'  able  nuther  to 


28  "Unc9  Edinburg" 

eat  nor  to  sleep,  an'  dat  gal  come  foolin'  'long  me 
when  I  sleep  jes  as  natchel  as  ef  I  see  her  sho'  'nough. 
An'  she  say  I  done  conjured ;  dat  de  gal  done  tricked 
me. 

"  Oh,  Gord  !  dat  skeered  me  ! 

"  You  white  folks,  marster,  don'  b'lieve  nuttin  like 
dat ;  y'  all  got  too  much  sense,  'cause  y'  all  kin  read ; 
but  niggers  dee  ain'  know  no  better,  an'  I  sutney  wuz 
skeered,  'cause  Aunt  Haly  say  my  coffin  done  sea 
soned,  de  planks  up  de  chimley. 

"  Well,  I  got  so  bad  Marse  George  ax  me  'bout  it, 
an'  he  sort  o'  laugh  an'  sort  o'  cuss,  an'  he  tell  Aunt 
Haly  ef  she  don'  stop  dat  foolishness  skeerin'  me  he'll 
sell  her  an'  tyah  her  ole  skoripin  house  down.  Well, 
co'se  he  jes  talkin',  an'  he  ax  me  next  day  how'd  I 
like  to  go  an'  see  my  sweetheart.  Gord !  suh,  I  got 
well  torectly.  So  I  set  off  next  evenin',  feelin'  jes  big 
as  ole  marster,  wid  my  pass  in  my  pocket,  which  I 
warn'  to  show  nobody  'douten  I  'bleeged  to,  'cause 
Marse  George  didn't  warn  nobody  to  know  he  le'  me 
go.  An'  den  dat  rascallion  teck  de  shut  off  my  back. 
But  ef  Marse  George  didn'  pay  him  de  wuth  o'  it ! 

"  I  done  git  'long  so  good,  too. 

"  When  Nancy  see  me  she  sutney  wuz  'stonished. 
She  come  roun'  de  cornder  in  de  back  yard  whar  I 


'  Edinburg"  29 


settin'  in  Nat's  do'  (he  wuz  de  gardener),  wid  her 
hyah  all  done  ontwist,  an'  breshed  out  mighty  fine, 
an'  a  clean  ap'on  wid  fringe  on  it,  meckin'  out  she 
so  s'prised  to  see  me  (whar  wuz  all  a  lie,  'cause  some 
on  'em  done  notify  her  I  dyah),  an'  she  say,  4  Hi  !  what 
dis  black  nigger  doin'  heah  ?  ' 

"An'  I  say,  '  Who  you  callin'  nigger,  you  impident, 
kercumber-faced  thing,  you  ?  '  Den  we  shake  hands, 
an'  I  tell  her  Marse  George  done  set  me  free  —  dat  I 
done  buy  myself;  dat's  de  lie  I  done  lay  off  to  tell 
her. 

"An'  when  I  tole  her  dat,  she  bust  out  laughin', 
an'  say,  well,  I  better  go  'long  'way,  den,  dat  she  don' 
warn  no  free  nigger  to  be  comp'ny  for  her.'  Dat  sort 
o'  set  me  back,  an'  I  tell  her  she  kickin'  'fo'  she 
spurred,  dat  I  ain'  got  her  in  my  mine  ;  I  got  a  nurr 
gal  at  home  whar  grievin'  'bout  me  dat  ve'y  minute. 
An'  after  I  tell  her  all  sich  lies  as  dat  presney  she  ax 
me  ain'  I  hongry  ;  an'  ef  dat  nigger  didn'  git  her  mam 
my  to  gi'  me  de  bes'  supter  !  Umm-m  !  I  kin  mos' 
tas'e  it  now.  Wheat  bread  off  de  table,  an'  zerves, 
an'  fat  bacon,  tell  I  couldn'  put  a  nurr  moufful  nowhar 
sep'n  I'd  teck  my  hat.  Dat  night  I  tote  Nancy  water 
for  her,  an'  I  tell  her  all  'bout  ev'ything,  an'  she  jes 
sweet  as  honey.  Next  mornin',  do',  she  done  sort  o' 


)o  "  Unc'  Edinburg9> 

tunned  some,  an'  ain'  so  sweet.  You  know  how  milk 
gits  sort  o'  bonny-clabberish  ?  An'  when  she  see  me 
she  'gin  to  'buse  me  —  say  I  jes'  tryin'  to  fool  her,  an' 
all  de  time  got  nurr  wife  at  home,  or  gittin*  ready  to 
git  one,  for  all  she  know,  an'  she  ain'  know  wherr 
Marse  George  ain'  jes  'ceivin'  as  I  is ;  an'  nem  mine, 
she  got  plenty  warn  marry  her ;  an*  as  to  Miss  Char 
lotte,  she  got  de  whole  wull ;  Mr.  Darker  he  ain'  got 
nobody  in  he  way  now,  dat  he  deah  all  de  time,  an' 
ain'  gwine  West  no  mo'.  Well,  dat  aggrivate  me  so 
I  tell  her  ef  she  say  dat  'bout  Marse  George  I  gwine 
knock  her ;  an'  wid  dat  she  got  so  oudacious  I  meek 
out  I  gwine  'way,  an'  lef '  her,  an'  went  up  todes  de 
barn ;  an'  up  dyah,  fust  thing  I  know,  I  come  across 
dat  ar  man  Mr.  Darker.  Soon  as  he  see  me  he  begin 
to  cuss  me,  an'  he  ax  me  what  I  doin'  on  dat  land,  an' 
I  tell  him  'Nuttin'.'  An'  he  say,  well,  he  gwine  gi' 
me  some'n ;  he  gwine  teach  me  to  come  prowlin'  round 
gent'men's  houses.  An'  he  meek  me  go  in  de  barn 
an'  teck  off  my  shut,  an'  he  beat  me  wid  he  whup  tell 
de  blood  run  out  my  back.  He  sutney  did  beat  me 
scandalous,  'cause  he  done  hate  me  an'  Marse  George 
ever  since  we  wuz  at  college  togurr.  An'  den  he  say : 
4  Now  you  git  right  off  dis  land.  Ef  either  you  or 
you  marster  ever  put  you  foot  on  it,  you'll  git  de 


"Unc'  Edinburg"  31 

same  thing  agin.'  An'  I  tell  you,  Edinburg  he  come 
way,  'cause  he  sutney  had  worry  me.  I  ain'  stop  to 
see  Nancy  or  nobody;  I  jes  come  'long,  shakin' de 
dust,  I  tell  you.  An'  as  I  come  'long  de  road  I  pass 
Miss  Charlotte  walkin'  on  de  lawn  by  herself,  an'  she 
call  me  :  '  Why,  hi !  ain'  dat  Edinburg  ?  ' 

"  She  look  so  sweet,  an'  her  voice  soun'  so  cool,  I 
say,  '  Yes'm ;  how  you  do,  missis  ?  '  An'  she  say, 
she  ve'y  well,  an'  how  I  been,  an'  whar  I  gwine  ?  I 
tell  her  I  ain'  feelin'  so  well,  dat  I  gwine  home.  4  Hi ! ' 
she  say,  '  is  anybody  treat  you  bad  ?  '  An'  I  tell  her, 
4  Yes'm'.  An'  she  say,  4  Oh  !  Nancy  don'  mean  nuttin 
by  dat ;  dat  you  mus'n  mine  what  womens  say,  an' 
do,  'cause  dee  feel  sorry  for  it  next  minute;  an'  some 
times  dee  kyarn  help  it,  or  maybe  hit  you  fault;  an' 
anyhow,  you  ought  to  be  willin'  to  overlook  it ;  an'  I 
better  go  back  an'  wait  till  to-morrow  —  ef —  ef  I  ain' 
'bleeged  to  git  home  to-day.' 

41  She  got  mighty  mixed  up  in  de  een  part  o'  dat, 
an'  she  looked  mighty  anxious  'bout  me  an'  Nancy; 
an'  I  tell  her,  '  No'in,  I  'bleeged  to  git  home.' 

"  Well,  when  I  got  home  Marse  George  he  warn 
know  all  dat  gwine  on  ;  but  I  mighty  sick  —  dat  man 
done  beat  me  so ;  an'  he  ax  me  what  de  marter,  an'  I 
upped  an'  tell  him. 


^2  "  Unc    Edinbiirg  " 

44  Gord  !  I  nuver  see  a  man  in  sich  a  rage.  He  call 
me  in  de  office  an'  meek  me  teck  off  my  shut,  an'  he 
fyah  bust  out  cryin'.  He  walked  up  an'  down  dat 
office  like  a  caged  lion.  Ef  he  had  got  he  hand  on 
Mr.  Darker  den,  he'd  'a  kilt  him,  sho  ! 

44  He  wuz  most  'stracted.  I  don't  know  what  he'd 
been  ef  I'd  tell  him  what  Nancy  tell  me.  He  call  for 
Peter  to  get  he  horse  torectly,  an'  he  tell  me  to  go  an' 
git  some'n  from  mammy  to  put  on  my  back,  an'  to  go 
to  bed  torectly,  an'  not  to  say  nuttin  to  nobody,  but 
to  tell  he  pa  he'd  be  away  for  two  days,  maybe  ;  an' 
den  he  got  on  Reveller  an'  galloped  'way  hard  as  he 
could,  wid  he  jaw  set  farst,  an'  he  heaviest  whup 
clamped  in  he  hand.  Gord !  I  wuz  most  hopin'  he 
wouldn'  meet  dat  man,  'cause  I  feared  ef  he  did  he'd 
kill  him ;  an'  he  would,  sho,  ef  he  had  meet  him 
right  den ;  dee  say  he  leetle  mo'  did  when  he  fine  him 
next  day,  an'  he  had  done  been  ridin'  den  all  night ; 
he  cotch  him  at  a  sto'  on  de  road,  an'  dee  say  he 
leetle  mo'  cut  him  all  to  pieces ;  he  drawed  a  weepin 
on  Marse  George,  but  Marse  George  wrench  it  out 
he  hand  an'  flung  it  over  de  fence  ;  an'  when  dee  got 
him  'way  he  had  weared  he  whup  out  on  him ;  an'  he 
got  dem  whelps  on  him  now,  ef  he  ain'  dead.  Yes, 
suh,  he  ain'  let  nobody  else  do  dat  he  ain'  do  heself,  sho! 


"  Unc  Edinburg >J  33 

"  Dat  done  de  business  ! 

"  He  sont  Marse  George  a  challenge,  but  Marse 
George  sont  him  wud  he'll  cowhide  him  agin  ef  he  ever 
heah  any  mo'  from  him,  an'  he  'ain't.  Dat  perrify 
him,  so  he  shet  he  mouf.  Den  come  he  ring  an'  all 
he  pictures  an'  things  back  —  a  gret  box  on  'em',  and 
not  a  wud  wid  'em.  Marse  George,  I  think  he  know'd 
dee  wuz  comin',  but  dat  ain'  keep  it  from  huttin  him, 
'cause  he  done  been  'gaged  to  Miss  Charlotte,  an'  got 
he  mine  riveted  to  her ;  an'  do'  befo'  dat  dee  had  stop 
writin',  an'  a  riff  done  git  'twixt  'em,  he  ain'  satisfied  in 
he  mine  dat  she  ain't  gwine  'pologizee  —  I  know  by 
Nancy ;  but  now  he  got  de  confirmation  dat  he  done 
for  good,  an'  dat  de  gret  gulf  fixed  'twix  him  an' 
Aberham  bosom.  An',  Gord,  suh,  twuz  torment,  sho 
'nough !  He  ain'  say  nuttin  'bout  it,  but  I  see  de 
light  done  pass  from  him,  an'  de  darkness  done  wrap 
him  up  in  it.  In  a  leetle  while  you  wouldn'  a  knowed 
him. 

"  Den  ole  mistis  died. 

"  B'lieve  me,  ole  marster  he  'most  much  hut  by 
Miss  Charlotte  as  Marse  George.  He  meek  a  'tempt 
to  buy  Nancy  for  me,  so  I  find  out  arterward,  an' 
write  Jedge  Darker  he'll  pay  him  anything  he'll  ax  for 
her,  but  he  letter  wuz  sont  back  'dout  any  answer. 


34  "Uric'  Edinburg'- 

He  sutney  was  mad  'bout  it  —  he  say  he'd  horsewhip 
him  as  Marse  George  did  dat  urr  young  puppy,  but 
ole  mistis  wouldn'  le'  him  do  nuttin,  and  den  he  grieve 
heself  to  death.  You  see  he  mighty  ole,  anyways. 
He  nuver  got  over  ole  mistis'  death.  She  had  been 
failin'  a  long  time,  an'  he  ain'  tarry  long  'hinst  her; 
hit  sort  o'  like  breckin  up  a  holler  —  de  ole  'coon  goes 
'way  soon  arter  dat ;  an'  marster  nuver  could  pin  he 
own  collar  or  buckle  he  own  stock  —  mistis  she  al'ays 
do  dat ;  an'  do'  Marse  George  do  de  bes'  he  kin,  an' 
mighty  willin',  he  kyarn  handle  pin  like  a  woman ;  he 
hand  tremble  like  a  p'inter  dog;  an'  anyways  he  ain' 
ole  mistis.  So  ole  marster  toiler  her  dat  next  fall, 
when  dee  wuz  gittin  in  de  corn,  an'  Marse  George  he 
ain'  got  nobody  in  de  wuli  left ;  he  all  alone  in  dat 
gret  house,  an'  I  wonder  sometimes  he  ain'  die  too, 
'cause  he  sutney  wuz  fond  o'  old  marster. 

"When  ole  mistis  wuz  dyin',  she  tell  him  to  be 
good  to  ole  marster,  an'  patient  wid  him,  'cause  he 
ain'  got  nobody  but  him  now  (ole  marster  he  had  jes 
step  out  de  room  to  cry) ;  an'  Marse  George  he  lean 
over  her  an'  kiss  her  an'  promise  her  faithful  he  would. 
An'  he  sutney  wuz  tender  wid  him  as  a  woman ;  an' 
when  ole  marster  die,  he  set  by  him  an'  hoi'  he  hand 
an'  kiss  him  sort,  like  he  wuz  ole  mistis. 


"Unc9  Edinburg"  ^ 

"  But,  Gord !  twuz  lonesome  arter  dat,  an'  Marse 
George  eyes  look  wistful,  like  he  al'ays  lookin'  far 
'way. 

"  Aunt  Haly  say  he  see  harnts  whar  walk  'bout  in 
de  gret  house.  She  say  dee  walk  dyah  constant  of 
nights  sence  ole  marster  done  alterate  de  rooms  from 
what  dee  wuz  when  he  gran'pa  buil'  'em,  an'  dat  dee 
huntin'  for  dee  ole  chambers  an'  kyarn  git  no  rest 
'cause  dee  kyarn  fine  'em.  I  don't  know  how  dat  wuz. 
I  know  Marse  George  he  used  to  walk  about  heself 
mightily  of  nights.  All  night  long,  all  night  long,  I'd 
heah  him  tell  de  chickens  crowin'  dee  second  crow, 
an'  some  mornin's  I'd  go  dyah  an'  he  ain'  even  rum 
ple  de  bed.  I  thought  sho  he  wuz  gwine  die,  but  I 
suppose  he  done  'arn  he  days  to  be  long  in  de  land, 
an'  dat  save  him.  But  hit  sutney  wuz  lonesome,  an' 
he  nuver  went  off  de  plantation,  an'  he  got  older  an' 
older,  tell  we  all  thought  he  wuz  gwine  die. 

"  An'  one  day  come  jes  befo'  Christmas,  'bout  nigh 
two  year  arfter  marster  die,  Mr.  Braxton  ride  up  to 
de  do'.  He  had  done  come  to  teck  Marse  George 
home  to  spen'  Christmas  wid  him.  Marse  George 
warn  git  out  it,  but  Mr.  Braxton  won'  teck  no  disap- 
p'intment ;  he  say  he  gwine  baptize  he  boy,  an'  he 
done  name  him  after  Marse  George  (he  had  marry 


}6  "  Unc   Edinburg" 

Marse  George  cousin,  Miss  Peggy  Carter,  an'  he  vite 
Marse  George  to  de  weddin',  but  he  wouldn'  go,  do' 
I  sutney  did  want  him  to  go,  'cause  I  heah  Miss  Char 
lotte  was  nominated  to  marry  Mr.  Darker,  an'  I  warn 
know  what  done  'come  o'  dat  bright-skinned  nigger 
gal  whar  I  used  to  know  down  dyah)  ;  an'  he  say 
Marse  George  got  to  come  an'  stan'  for  him,  an'  gi' 
him  a  silver  cup  an'  a  gol'  rattle.  So  Marse  George 
he  finally  promise  to  come  an'  spend  Christmas  Day, 
an'  Mr.  Braxton  went  'way  next  mornin',  an'  den  hit 
tun  in  an'  rain  so  I  feared  we  couldn'  go,  but  hit  cler 
off  de  day  befo'  Christmas  Eve  an*  tun  cold.  Well, 
suh,  we  ain'  been  nowhar  for  so  long  I  wuz  skittish  as 
a  young  filly ;  an'  den  you  know  twuz  de  same  ole 
place. 

"  We  didn'  git  dyah  till  supper-time,  an'  twuz  a 
good  one  too,  'cause  seventy  miles  dat  cold  a  weather 
hit  whet  a  man's  honger  jes  like  a  whetstone. 

"  Dee  sutney  wuz  glad  to  see  we  all.  We  rid 
roun'  by  de  back  yard  to  gi'  Billy  de  horses,  an'  we 
see  dee  wuz  havin'  gret  fixin's ;  an'  den  we  went  to  de 
house,  jest  as  some  o'  de  folks  run  in  an'  tell  'em  we 
wuz  come.  When  Marse  George  stept  in  de  hall, 
dee  all  clustered  roun'  him  like  dee  gwine  hug  him, 
dee  faces  fyah  dimplin'  wid  pleasure,  an'  Miss  Peggy 


'(Unc'  Edmburg"  37 

she  jes  reched  up  an'  teck  him  in  her  arms  an'  hug 
him. 

"  Dee  tell  me  in  de  kitchen  dat  dee  wuz  been 
'spectin'  of  Miss  Charlotte  over  to  spend  Christmas 
too,  but  de  river  wuz  so  high  dee  s'pose  dee  couldn' 
git  cross.  Chile,  dat  sutney  disapp'int  me  ! 

44  Well,  after  supper  de  niggers  had  a  dance.  Hit 
wuz  down  in  de  wash-house,  an'  de  table  wuz  set  in 
de  carpenter  shop  jes'  by.  Oh,  hit  sutney  wuz  beau 
tiful  !  Miss  Lucy  an'  Miss  Ailsy  dee  had  superintend 
ev'ything  wid  dee  own  hands.  So  dee  wuz  down 
dyah  wid  dee  ap'ons  up  to  dee  chins,  an'  dee  had  de 
big  silver  strandeliers  out  de  house,  two  on  each  table, 
an'  some  o'  ole  mistis's  best  damas'  tablecloths,  an' 
ole  marster's  gret  bowl  full  o'  egg-nog  ;  hit  look  big 
as  a  mill-pond  settin'  dyah  in  de  cornder ;  an'  dee  had 
flowers  out  de  greenhouse  on  de  table,  an'  some  o'  de 
chany  out  de  gret  house,  an'  de  dinin'-room  cheers  set 
roun'  de  room.  Oh !  oh  !  nuttin  warn  too  good  for 
niggers  dem  times  ;  an'  de  little  niggers  wuz  runnin' 
roun'  right  'stracted,  squealin'  an'  peepin'  an'  gittin  in 
de  way  onder  you  foots ;  an'  de  mens  dee  wuz  totin' 
in  de  wood  —  gret  hickory  logs,  look  like  stock  whar 
you  gwine  saw  —  an'  de  fire  so  big  hit  look  like  you 
gwine  kill  hawgs,  'cause  hit  sutney  wuz  cold  dat 


?8  "Unc9  Edinburg" 

night.  Dis  nigger  ain'  nuver  gwine  forgit  it !  Jack 
Forester  he  had  come  'cross  de  river  to  lead  de  fid 
dlers,  an'  he  say  he  had  to  put  he  fiddle  onder  he  coat 
an'  poke  he  bow  in  he  breeches  leg  to  keep  de  strings 
from  poppin',  an'  dat  de  river  would  freeze  over  sho 
ef  twarn  so  high ;  but  twuz  jes  snortin',  an'  he  had 
hard  wuck  to  git  over  in  he  skiff,  an'  Unc'  Jeems  say 
he  ain'  gwine  come  out  he  boat-house  no  mo'  dat 
night  —  he  done  tempt  Providence  often  'nough  for 
one  day. 

"  Den  ev'ything  wuz  ready,  an'  de  fiddlers  got  dee 
dram  an'  chuned  up,  an'  twuz  lively,  I  tell  you ! 
Twuz  jes  as  thick  in  dyah  as  blackberries  on  de  black 
berry  bush,  'cause  ev'y  gal  on  de  plantation  wuz  dyah 
shakin'  her  foot  for  some  young  buck,  an'  back- 
steppin'  for  to  go  'long.  Dem  ole  sleepers  wuz  jes 
a-rockin',  an'  Jack  Forester  he  wuz  callin'  de  figgers 
for  to  wake  'em  up.  I  warn'  dancin',  'cause  I  done 
got  'ligion  an  'longst  to  de  chutch  sence  de  trouble 
done  tech  us  up  so  rank  ;  but  I  tell  you  my  foots  wuz 
pintedly  eechchin  for  a  leetle  sop  on  it,  an'  I  had  to 
come  out  to  keep  from  crossin'  'em  onst,  anyways. 
Den,  too,  I  had  a  tetch  o'  misery  in  my  back,  an' 
I  lay  off  to  git  a  tas'e  o'  dat  egg-nog  out  dat  big  bowl, 
wid  snowdrift  on  it,  from  Miss  Lucy  —  she  al'ays 


"Unc'  Edinburg"  39 

mighty  fond  o'  Marse  George ;  so  I  slip  into  de  car 
penter  shop,  an'  ax  her  kyarn  I  do  nuttin  for  her,  an' 
she  laugh  an'  say,  yes,  I  kin  drink  her  health,  an'  gi' 
me  a  gret  gobletful,  an'  jes  den  de  white  folks  come 
in  to  'spec'  de  tables,  Marse  George  in  de  lead,  an' 
dee  all  fill  up  dee  glasses  an'  pledge  dee  health,  an'  all 
de  servants',  an'  a  merry  Christmas ;  an'  den  dee  went 
in  de  wash-house  to  see  de  dancin',  an'  maybe  to  teck 
a  han  deeself,  'cause  white  folks'  'ligion  ain'  like  nig 
gers',  you  know ;  dee  got  so  much  larnin  dee  kin 
dance,  an'  fool  de  devil  too.  An'  I  stay  roun'  a  little 
while,  an'  den  went  in  de  kitchen  to  see  how  supper 
gittin'  on,  'cause  I  wuz  so  hongry  when  I  got  dyah  I 
ain'  able  to  eat  'nough  at  one  time  to  'commodate  it, 
an'  de  smell  o'  de  tuckeys  an'  de  gret  saddlers  o' 
mutton  in  de  tin-kitchens  wuz  mos'  'nough  by  deeself 
to  feed  a  right  hongry  man ;  an*  dyah  wuz  a  whole 
parcel  o'  niggers  cookin'  an'  tunnin  'bout  for  life,  an' 
dee  faces  jes  as  shiny  as  ef  dee  done  bas'e  'em  wid 
gravy ;  an'  dyah,  settin'  back  in  a  cheer  out  de  way, 
wid  her  clean  frock  up  off  de  flo',  wuz  dat  gal !  I 
sutney  did  feel  curiousome. 

"I  say,  'Hi!  name  o'  Gord!  whar'd  you  come 
from  *?  '  She  say,  fc  Oh,  Marster !  ef  heah  ain'  dat  free 
nigger  agin  ! '  An'  ev'ybody  laughed. 


40  "  Unc   Edinburg tj 

"  Well,  presny  we  come  out,  cause  Nancy  warn 
see  de  dancin',  an'  we  stop  a  leetle  while  'hind  de 
cornder  out  de  wind  while  she  tell  me  'bout  ev'ything. 
An'  she  say  dat's  all  a  lie  she  tell  me  dat  day  'bout 
Mr.  Darker  an'  Miss  Charlotte ;  an'  he  done  gone 
'way  now  for  good  'cause  he  so  low  down  an'  wuth- 
less  dee  kyarn  nobody  stand  him ;  an'  all  he  warn 
marry  Miss  Charlotte  for  is  to  git  her  niggers.  But 
Nancy  say  Miss  Charlotte  nuver  could  abide  him ;  he 
so  'sateful,  'spressly  sence  she  fine  out  what  a  lie  he 
told  'bout  Marse  George.  You  know,  Mr.  Darker  he 
done  meek  'em  think  Marse  George  sont  me  dyah  to 
fine  out  ef  he  done  come  home,  an'  den  dat  he  fall  on 
him  wid  he  weepin  when  he  ain'  noticin'  him,  an'  sort 
o'  out  de  way  too,  an'  git  two  urr  mens  to  hold  him 
while  he  beat  him,  all  'cause  he  in  love  wid  Miss 
Charlotte.  D'you  ever,  ever  heah  sich  a  lie  *?  An' 
Nancy  say,  do'  Miss  Charlotte  ain'  b'lieve  it  all  togerr, 
hit  look  so  reasonable  she  done  le'  de  ole  jedge  an'  her 
ma,  who  wuz  'pending  on  what  she  heah,  'duce  her  to 
send  back  he  things ;  an'  dee  ain'  know  no  better  not 
tell  after  de  ole  jedge  die  ;  den  dee  fine  out  'bout  de 
whuppin  me,  an'  all ;  an'  den  Miss  Charlotte  know 
huccome  I  ain'  gwine  stay  dat  day ;  an'  she  say  dee 
was  sutney  outdone  'bout  it,  but  it  too  late  den ;  an' 


"  Unc'  Edinburg"  41 

Miss  Charlotte  kyarn  do  nuttin  but  cry  'bout  it,  an' 
dat  she  did,  pintedly,  'cause  she  done  lost  Marse 
George,  an'  done  'stroy  he  life  ;  an'  she  nuver  keer 
'bout  nobody  else  sep  Marse  George,  Nancy  say. 
Mr.  Clarke  he  hangin'  on,  but  Miss  Charlotte  she 
done  tell  him  pintedly  she  ain'  nuver  gwine  marry  no 
body.  An'  dee  jes  done  come,  she  say,  'cause  dee 
had  to  go  'way  roun  by  de  rope  ferry  'long  o'  de  river 
bein'  so  high,  an'  dee  ain'  know  tell  dee  done  git  out 
de  ker'idge  an'  in  de  house  dat  we  all  wuz  heah  ;  an' 
Nancy  say  she  glad  dee  ain',  'cause  she  'feared  ef  dee 
had,  Miss  Charlotte  wouldn'  'a  come. 

"  Den  I  tell  her  all  'bout  Marse  George,  'cause  I 
know  she  'bleeged  to  tell  Miss  Charlotte.  Twuz 
powerful  cold  out  dyah,  but  I  ain'  mine  dat,  chile. 
Nancy  she  done  had  to  wrop  her  arms  up  in  her  ap'on 
an'  she  kyarn  meek  no  zistance  'tall,  an'  dis  nigger 
ain'  keerin'  nuttin  'bout  cold  den. 

"  An'  jes  den  two  ladies  come  out  de  carpenter 
shop  an'  went  'long  to  de  wash-house,  an'  Nancy  say, 
4  Dyah  Miss  Charlotte  now ; '  an'  twuz  Miss  Lucy  an' 
Miss  Charlotte  ;  an'  we  heah  Miss  Lucy  coaxin'  Miss 
Charlotte  to  go,  tellin'  her  she  kin  come  right  out ; 
an'  jes  den  dee  wuz  a  gret  shout,  an'  we  went  in  hinst 
'em.  Twuz  Marse  George  had  done  teck  de  fiddle, 


4%  "  Uno   Edinburg  " 

an'  ef  he  warn'  natchelly  layin'  hit  down  !  he  wuz  up 
at  de  urr  een  o'  de  room,  'way  from  we  all,  'cause  we 
wuz  at  de  do',  nigh  Miss  Charlotte  whar  she  wuz 
standin'  'hind  some  on  'em,  wid  her  eyes  on  him 
mighty  timid,  like  she  hidin'  from  him,  an'  ev'y  nig 
ger  in  de  room  wuz  on  dat  flo'.  Gord  !  suh,  dee  wuz 
grinnin'  so  dee  warn'  a  toof  in  dat  room  you  couldn' 
git  you  tweezers  on;  an'  you  couldn'  heah  a  wud, 
dee  so  proud  o'  Marse  George  playin'  for  'em. 

"  Well,  dee  danced  tell  you  couldn'  tell  which  wuz 
de  clappers  an'  which  de  back-steppers ;  de  whole 
house  look  like  it  wuz  rockin' ;  an'  presney  somebody 
say  supper,  an'  dat  stop  'em,  an'  dee  wuz  a  spell  for  a 
minute,  an'  Marse  George  standin'  dyah  wid  de  fiddle 
in  he  hand.  He  face  wuz  tunned  away,  an'  he  wuz 
studyin' — -studyin'  'bout  dat  urr  Christmas  so  long  ago 
—  an'  sudney  he  face  drapt  down  on  de  fiddle,  an'  he 
drawed  he  bow  'cross  de  strings,  an'  dat  chune  'bout 
4  You'll  ermember  me '  begin  to  whisper  right  sorf. 
Hit  begin  so  low  ev'ybody  had  to  stop  talkin'  an' 
hold  dee  mouf  to  heah  it ;  an'  Marse  George  he  ain' 
know  nuttin  'bout  it,  he  done  gone  back,  an'  standin' 
dyah  in  de  gret  hall  playin'  it  for  Miss  Charlotte,  whar 
done  come  down  de  steps  wid  her  little  blue  foots  an' 
gret  fan,  an'  standin'  dyah  in  her  dim  blue  dress  an' 


Hit  begin  so  low  evybody  had  to  stop  talkin" 


"  Unc'  Edinburg"  45 

her  fyah  arms,  an'  her  gret  eyes  lookin'  in  he  face  so 
earnest,  whar  he  ain'  gwine  nuver  speak  to  no  mo'.  I 
see  it  by  de  way  he  look  —  an'  de  fiddle  wuz  jes  plead- 
in'.  He  drawed  it  out  jes  as  fine  as  a  stran'  o'  Miss 
Charlotte's  hyah. 

"  Hit  so  sweet,  Miss  Charlotte,  mun,  she  couldn' 
stan'  it ;  she  made  to  de  do' ;  an'  jes  while  she  watch- 
in'  Marse  George  to  keep  him  from  seein'  her  he  look 
dat  way,  an'  he  eyes  fall  right  into  hern. 

"  Well,  suh,  de  fiddle  drapt  down  on  de  flo' — per- 
lang !  —  an'  he  face  wuz  white  as  a  sycamore  limb. 

44  Dee  say  twuz  a  swimmin'  in  de  head  he  had  ;  an' 
Jack  say  de  whole  fiddle  warn  wufF  de  five  dollars. 

44  Me  an'  Nancy  followed  'em  tell  dee  went  in  de 
house,  an'  den  we  come  back  to  de  shop  whar  de  sup 
per  wuz  gwine  on,  an'  got  we  all  supper  an'  a  leetle 
sop  o'  dat  yaller  gravy  out  dat  big  bowl,  an'  den  we 
all  rejourned  to  de  wash-house  agin,  an'  got  onder  de 
big  bush  o'  misseltow  whar  hangin'  from  de  jice,  an' 
ef  you  ever  see  scufflin'  dat's  de  time. 

44  Well,  me  an'  she  had  jes  done  lay  off  de  whole 
Christmas,  when  wud  come  dat  Marse  George  want 
he  horses. 

44 1  went,  but  it  sutney  breck  me  up  ;  an'  I  wonder 
whar  de  name  o'  Gord  Marse  George  gwine  sen*  me 


46  "Unc    Edinburg" 

dat  cold  night,  an'  jes  as  I  got  to  de  do'  Marse  George 
an'  Mr.  Braxton  come  out,  an'  I  know  torectly  Marse 
George  wuz  gwine  'way.  I  seen  he  face  by  de  light 
o'  de  lantern,  an'  twuz  set  jes  rigid  as  a  rock. 

"  Mr.  Braxton  he  wuz  baiggin  him  to  stay  ;  he  tell 
him  he  ruinin'  he  life,  dat  he  sho  dee's  some  mistake, 
an'  twill  be  all  right.  An'  all  de  answer  Marse  George 
meek  wuz  to  swing  heself  up  in  de  saddle,  an*  Rev 
eller  he  look  like  he  gwine  fyah  'stracted.  He  al'ays 
mighty  fool  anyways  when  he  git  cold,  dat  horse  wuz. 

"  Well,  we  come  'long  'way,  an'  Mr.  Braxton  an' 
two  mens  come  down  to  de  river  wid  lanterns  to  see 
us  cross,  'cause  twuz  dark  as  pitch,  sho  'nough. 

"  An'  jes  'fo'  I  started  I  got  one  o'  de  mens  to  hoi' 
my  horses,  an'  I  went  in  de  kitchen  to  git  warm,  an' 
dyah  Nancy  wuz.  An'  she  say  Miss  Charlotte  up- 
steairs  cryin'  right  now,  'cause  she  think  Marse  George 
gwine  cross  de  river  'count  o'  her,  an'  she  whimper  a 
little  herself  when  I  tell  her  good-by.  But  twuz  too 
late  den. 

"  Well,  de  river  wuz  jes  natchelly  b'ilin',  an'  hit 
soun'  like  a  mill-dam  roarin'  by ;  an'  when  we  got 
dyah  Marse  George  tunned  to  me  an'  tell  me  he  reck 
on  I  better  go  back.  I  ax  him  whar  he  gwine,  an'  he 
say,  4  Home.'  4  Den  I  gwine  wid  you,'  I  says.  I 


"  Unc    Edtnburg"  47 

wuz  mighty  skeered,  but  me  an'  Marse  George  wuz 
boys  togerr ;  an'  he  plunged  right  in,  an'  I  after  him. 

"  Gord  !  twuz  cold  as  ice ;  an'  we  hadn'  got  in 
befo'  bofe  horses  wuz  swimmin'  for  life.  He  holler 
to  me  to  byah  de  myah  head  up  de  stream ;  an'  I  did 
try,  but  what's  a  nigger  to  dat  water  !  Hit  jes  pick  me 
up  an'  dash  me  down  like  I  ain'  no  mo'n  a  chip,  an' 
de  fust  thing  I  know  I  gwine  down  de  stream  like  a 
piece  of  bark,  an'  water  washin'  all  over  me.  I  knowed 
den  I  gone,  an'  I  hollered  for  Marse  George  for  help. 
I  heah  him  answer  me  not  to  git  skeered,  but  to  hold 
on;  but  de  myah  wuz  lungin'  an'  de  water  wuz  all 
over  me  like  ice,  an'  den  I  washed  off  de  myah  back, 
an'  got  drownded. 

"  I  'member  comin'  up  an'  hollerin'  agin  for  help, 
but  I  know  den'  'tain'  no  use,  dee  ain'  no  help  den, 
an'  I  got  to  pray  to  Gord,  an'  den  some'n  hit  me  an'  I 
went  down  agin,  an'  —  de  next  thing  I  know  I  wuz 
in  de  bed,  an'  I  heah  'em  talkin'  'bout  wherr  I  dead 
or  not,  an'  I  ain'  know  myself  tell  I  taste  de  whiskey 
dee  po'rin'  down  my  jugular. 

"An'  den  dee  tell  me  'bout  how  when  I  hollered 
Marse  George  tun  back  an'  struck  out  for  me  for 
life,  an'  how  jes  as  I  went  down  de  last  time  he  cotch 
me  an'  helt  on  to  me  tell  we  wash  down  to  whar  de 


48  "  Urn'  Edinburg" 

bank  curve,  an'  dyah  de  current  wuz  so  rapid  hit  yuck 
him  off  Reveller  back,  but  he  helt  on  to  de  reins  tell 
de  horse  lunge  so  he  hit  him  wid  he  fo'  foot  an'  breck 
he  collar-bone,  an'  den  he  had  to  let  him  go,  an'  jes 
helt  on  to  me ;  an'  den  we  wash  up  agin  de  bank  an' 
cotch  in  a  tree,  an'  de  inens  got  dyah  quick  as  dee 
could,  an'  when  dee  retched  us  Marse  George  wuz 
holdin'  on  to  me,  an'  had  he  arm  wropped  roun'  a 
limb,  an'  we  wuz  lodged  in  de  crotch,  an'  bofe  jes  as 
dead  as  a  nail ;  an'  de  myah  she  got  out,  but  Reveller 
he  wuz  drownded,  wid  his  foot  cotch  in  de  rein  an' 
de  saddle  tunned  onder  he  side;  an'  dee  ain'  know 
wherr  Marse  George  ain'  dead  too,  'cause  he  not  only 
drownded,  but  he  let*'  arm  broke  up  nigh  de  shoulder. 
"  An'  dee  say  Miss  Charlotte  she  'mos'  'stracted  ; 
dat  de  fust  thing  anybody  know  'bout  it  wuz  when 
some  de  servants  bust  in  de  hall  an'  holler,  an'  say 
Marse  George  an'  me  bofe  done  washed  'way  an' 
drownded,  an*  dat  she  drapt  down  dead  on  de  flo', 
an'  when  dee  bring  her  to  she  'low  to  Miss  Lucy  dat 
she  de  'casion  on  he  death  ;  an'  dee  say  dat  when  de 
mens  wuz  totin'  him  in  de  house,  an'  wuz  shufflin'  de 
feets  not  to  meek  no  noige,  an'  a  little  piece  o'  wet 
blue  silk  drapt  out  he  breast  whar  somebody  picked 
up  an'  gin  Miss  Lucy,  Miss  Charlotte  breck  right 


"Miss  CJiarlotte  she  'mos'  *stracted" 


"Unc   Editiburg"  51 

down  agin ;  an'  some  on  'em  say  she  sutney  did  keer 
for  him ;  an'  now  when  he  layin'  upstairs  dyah  dead, 
hit  too  late  for  him  ever  to  know  it. 

"  Well,  suh,  I  couldn'  teck  it  in  dat  Marse  George 
and  Reveller  wuz  dead,  an'  jes  den  somebody  say 
Marse  George  done  comin'  to  an'  dee  gi'  me  so  much 
whiskey  I  went  to  sleep. 

"  An'  next  mornin'  I  got  up  an'  went  to  Marse 
George  room,  an'  see  him  layin'  dyah  in  de  bed,  wid 
he  face  so  white  an'  he  eyes  so  tired-lookin',  an'  he 
am'  know  me  no  mo'  'n  ef  he  nuver  see  me,  an'  I 
couldn'  stan'  it ;  I  jes  drap  down  on  de  flo'  an'  bust 
out  cryin'.  Gord  !  suh,  I  couldn'  help  it,  'cause  Rev 
eller  wuz  drownded,  an'  Marse  George  he  wuz  mos* 
gone. 

"  An'  he  came  nigher  goin'  yit,  'cause  he  had  sich  a 
strain,  an'  been  so  long  in  de  water,  he  heart  done 
got  numbed,  an'  he  got  'lirium,  an'  all  de  time  he 
thought  he  tryin'  to  git  'cross  de  river  to  see  Miss 
Charlotte,  an'  hit  so  high  he  kyarn  git  dyah. 

"  Hit  sutney  wuz  pitiful  to  see  him  layin'  dyah 
tossin'  an'  pitchin',  not  knowin'  whar  he  wuz,  tell  it 
teck  all  Mr.  Braxton  an'  me  could  do  to  keep  him 
in  de  bed,  an'  de  doctors  say  he  kyarn  hoi'  out  much 
longer. 


52  "Unc9  Edinburg" 

"  An'  all  dis  time  Miss  Charlotte  she  wuz  gwine 
'bout  de  house  wid  her  face  right  white,  an'  Nancy 
say  she  don'  do  nuttin  all  day  long  in  her  room  but 
cry  an'  say  her  pra'rs,  prayin'  for  Marse  George, 
whar  dyin'  upsteairs  by  'count'  o'  not  knowin'  she 
love  him,  an'  I  tell  Nancy  how  he  honin'  all  de  time 
to  see  her,  an'  how  he  constant  cravin'  her  name. 

"  Well,  so  twuz,  tell  he  mos'  done  wyah  heself 
out ;  an'  jes  lay  dyah  wid  his  face  white  as  de  pillow, 
an'  he  gret  pitiful  eyes  rollin'  'bout  so  restless,  like  he 
still  lookin'  for  her  whar  he  all  de  time  callin'  her 
name,  an'  kyarn  git  'cross  dat  river  to  see. 

"  An'  one  evenin'  'bout  sunset  he  'peared  to  be 
gwine;  he  weaker'n  he  been  at  all,  he  ain'  able  to 
scuffle  no  mo',  an'  jes  layin'  dyah  so  quiet,  an'  presney 
he  say,  lookin'  mighty  wistful  : 

" 4  Edinburg,  I'm  goin'  to-night ;  ef  I  don't  git 
'cross  dis  time,  I'll  gin't  up/ 

"  Mr.  Braxton  wuz  standin'  nigh  de  head  o'  de  bed, 
an'  he  say,  '  Well,  by  Gord  !  he  shell  see  her  !  '--jes 
so.  An'  he  went  out  de  room,  an'  to  Miss  Charlotte 
do',  an'  call  her,  an'  tell  her  she  got  to  come,  ef  she 
don't,  he'll  die  dat  night ;  an'  fust  thing  I  know,  Miss 
Lucy  bring  Miss  Charlotte  in,  wid  her  face  right 
white,  but  jes  as  tender  as  a  angel's,  an'  she  come  an' 


"Unc    Edinburg"  53 

stan'  by  de  side  de   bed,  an'  lean  down  over  him,  an' 
call  he  name,  '  George  !  '-  -jes  so. 

"  An'  Marse  George  he  ain'  answer ;  he  jes  look  at 
her  study  for  a  minute,  an'  den  he  forehead  got 
smooth,  an'  he  tun  he  eyes  to  me,  an'  say,  4  Edinburg, 
I'm  'cross/  " 


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